The present invention relates to a box which may be used in the packaging of any item which has a flat structure or which may be placed in a flat tray, in particular the packaging of compact discs, mini-discs, chocolates, pharmaceutical products, digital video discs, cigarettes, swatch samples, information cards and electronic components and similar products.
Compact discs are generally packaged in plastic jewel cases, in which a hinged lid must be lifted to gain access to a tray in which the compact disc lies. The case must be grasped in the correct fashion to enable the lid to be opened. People with small hands or limited use of their hands can have great difficulty in opening a standard jewel case. Information concerning the data or recording on the compact disc is usually provided on an insert or booklet attached to the underside of the hinged lid. It can be awkward to remove or replace this booklet, which must be passed under a series of projections on the side walls of the lid in order to retain it in place when the lid is closed.
Other methods of packaging compact discs and the like include simple cardboard sleeves or flexible plastic wallets. However such sleeves and wallets are not particularly rigid or robust and do not hold the packaged item securely.
It is an object of the invention to provide a packaging box which overcomes one or more of the above disadvantages, which is easy to open and which provides an opportunity to display information about the contents of the box.
According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a box comprising a generally tubular sleeve defining a through passage, a planar divider extending across said passage, a belt member extending around said divider, a tray member and a tab member each extending into said passage and attached to said belt member, such that when said tab member is moved out of said passage in a first direction said tray member moves out of said passage in a second direction opposite to said first direction.
Preferably the tubular sleeve is rectangular in section and comprises an upper panel, a lower panel and two side walls each connecting the upper and lower panels. Preferably the divider comprises an intermediate panel extending between the side walls. Preferably the intermediate panel is parallel to and spaced apart from the upper and lower panels.
In a first preferred embodiment the tubular sleeve and divider are formed from a single sheet of material, preferably card or plastic, which is folded and glued.
In a second preferred embodiment the tubular sleeve and divider are each formed from separate sheets of material, preferably card or plastic, which are folded and glued. The divider may comprise an inner tubular sleeve. The lower panel of the inner tubular sleeve may be bonded to the lower panel of the outer tubular sleeve.
In a third preferred embodiment the tubular sleeve is formed of moulded or extruded plastic. The side walls of the tubular sleeve may each be provided with a rail member adapted to engage with the tray member. The tray member may be provided with a corresponding slot at each side adapted to engage with the rail member. The rail member or slot may be provided with a stop member adapted to prevent the tray extending beyond a predetermined point. The side walls of the tubular sleeve may each be provided with a projecting flange member to which is attached the planar divider.
Preferably the tray member is adapted to be free to slide between a closed position, in which the tray member is completely enclosed by the tubular sleeve, and an open position in which the tray member protrudes from the tubular sleeve allowing access to the tray member.
Preferably the belt member comprises a strip of sheet material joined to form a continuous loop. Preferably said sheet material is a low-friction material selected so that the belt member slides easily about the divider. Preferably the sheet material is plastic such as Cellophane (TM) or PTFE. Preferably the belt member is narrower than the divider, and the divider is formed with a waisted or cut-out portion forming a belt path around which the belt member passes, so that the belt member is restrained against lateral movement with respect to the divider and stays on the belt path.
Preferably the upper and lower panels of the tubular sleeve are provided with cut-out portions or recesses on a first side thereof to permit access to the upper and lower surfaces of a portion of the tab member. Preferably the tab member and the upper and lower panels of the tubular sleeve project beyond the tray member at the first side when the tray member is in the closed position. The tray member may be narrower than the tubular sleeve, or the tray member may be provided with a cut-out portion or recess on its first side. This allows a user to grasp the portion of the tab member which is visible through the cut-outs in the sleeve, so that the user can pull the tab member in the first direction in order to open the tray member which slides out of the sleeve on the opposite side in the second direction.
Using the convention that the first edge of a component is that edge which is positioned towards the first direction and the second edge of a component is that edge which is positioned towards the second direction, then preferably the second edge of the tab member is attached to the belt member at a first location on the belt and the first edge of the tray member is attached to the belt member at a second location on the belt, whereby the first and second locations are diametrically opposed. Preferably, when the tray is in the closed position, the first location on the belt is at the second edge of the belt path and the second location on the belt is at the first edge of the belt path. Preferably, when the tray is in a fully open position, the first location on the belt is at the first edge of the belt path and the second location on the belt is at the second edge of the belt path.
According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a box according to the first aspect of the invention, in which the tray member is replaced by a second tab member. Preferably one or both tab members are embossed or printed.
According to a third aspect of the invention there is provided a box according to the first aspect of the invention, in which the tab member is replaced by a second tray member.
According to a fourth aspect of the invention there is provided a box which comprises two or more boxes according to any of the first, second or third aspects of the invention connected on top of each other. Preferably the lower panel of an upper box forms the upper panel of a lower box.
According to a fifth aspect of the invention there is provided a blank which upon folding and gluing forms the tubular member and divider or dividers of a box according to any of the first, second, third or fourth aspects of the invention.
Preferably the blank comprises a substantially rectangular sheet of foldable sheet material having six transverse fold lines extending across the sheet, the fold lines separating the sheet into seven substantially rectangular areas, the second area forming in use the upper panel, the fourth area forming in use the lower panel, the sixth area forming in use the divider, the first and fifth areas being adapted to be bonded to each other to form in use the first side wall, and the third and seventh areas being adapted to be bonded to each other to form in use the second side wall. Preferably the second and fourth areas are each provided with a cut-out portion at one longitudinal edge. Preferably the sixth area is provided with a cut-out portion at each longitudinal edge, adapted to form a belt path around which in use the belt member passes.